13/07/2017

Why has this series of Love Island been so popular?

Offices, bars, the supermarket, the hairdressers... It's the question everyone starts with now, when meeting someone new - do you watch Love Island? The answer is most likely going to be yes, so straight away you've some common ground.

You've issues to discuss like is 'muggy Mike' really deserving of his 'muggy' title? Are Amber and Kem the real deal? Is Gabby really interested in Marcel? And how do we all get an arse like Montana's?

We've been given the date of the final now, with just 12 days to go until series three bows out for another year.

Already I am thinking of starting a Love Island support group, with group chats scheduled for 9pm each evening to help each other through the huge hole that will be left in everyone's lives.

I remember getting hooked on last year's series, and being devastated when it ended, but this year's seems to have been even bigger.

Everyone is talking about it, everyone watches it, and even those who were sceptical and critical of it at first are now obsessed.

But why has this year's series got everyone so hooked?

Is it, perhaps, we are all so fed up with the doom and gloom we constantly hear about and see on the news that we want something light-hearted to enjoy at the end of the day? Maybe we're all just sick of hearing about Brexit and politics and want to lose ourselves in something more easygoing?

I, personally, think the formula just works. Watching relationships develop is interesting. Watching how different personalities and different characters, from different background, interact and get on is fascinating. While there's natural competition as people vie for the attention of the opposite sex, it's not brutal or uncomfortable to watch like other reality TV shows can be.

Finally, reality TV is exciting again. It's getting people talking and it's relatable. The people in there, on the whole, are normal people - students, receptionists, hairdressers... Of course, there's the odd former Blazin' Squad member and Calvin Klein model thrown in for good measure, just to keep it exciting.

The concept is simple - a Big Brother-style house where a load of strangers are stuck together and their every move filmed.

Big Brother has had its day now, I think everyone would agree. It was great when it started, just like The X Factor was, but everyone has got over it now. Geordie Shore and Ex on The Beach have just got too trashy and definitely only appeal to a certain age group or demographic. And TOWIE and MIC have probably also exhausted their concepts.

Love Island, however, is something everyone can watch.

Tom's auntie, who must be in her 70s, is a huge fan of the show. When I learnt this I could've burst with excitement - I can just imagine her sitting down now to watch it having her opinions on all the islanders.

This year's series is literally everywhere now. There are countless stories on Mail Online, The Mirror, The Sun... This Morning's Holly and Phil are obsessed, Jeremy Corbyn is backing Marcel, and Liam Gallagher admitted to sacking off watching Glastonbury to catch up on Love Island.

Stores have started making Love Island t-shirts with famous quotes from the series emblazoned on the front, you can't log onto any form of social media during 9pm and 10pm without seeing memes galore, and there's no way anyone can receive a text message without announcing it in Love Island fashion.

There aren't any bells and whistles to Love Island, it's simple. Throw in the fact you can watch these relationships forming before your very eyes, whether it be romantic or friendships, and it's just a winning formula.

I feel emotionally invested in all of them now.

I squealed with joy at Jamie and Camilla's cute moments on her birthday, particularly their Dirty Dancing lift; I screamed at Olivia when she was being mean to Chris and made him cry; I clapped when Montana and Alex became boyfriend and girlfriend; and I wanted to hit Jonny repeatedly when he was just being a complete clown.

There are some slightly naughty moments, as you'd expect on a show where couples and relationships are forming, but I definitely don't think we've seen as much sex as last series. Last year, every couple in there did the deed; whereas there have been very few this time who've gone the whole way.

I'm already thinking of starting a petition to hand to ITV for a winter version of the show. I'm thinking at a ski resort, with lots of open fires and hot tubs. I saw Zoella tweeted saying she was pitching Love Iceland, and I could totally get on board with that.

While I am quite unsure what I will obsess over after 24th July, and generally do think I may need to join a support group, I am excited to be able to go to bed early again and not have to worry about missing all the latest gossip and drama from the villa.